Cancer Control Opportunities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (2007) / Chapter Skim
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9 Advocacy for Cancer Control
9 Advocacy for Cancer Control
Pages 272-284
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From page 272... ...
In most developed countries, cancer advocacy begins with national cancer societies, often formed by physicians, other health care professionals, and business leaders (e.g., the forerunner of the American Cancer Society was founded in 1913)
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From page 273... ...
Among national cancer societies, the American Cancer Society (ACS) is the most active in promoting cancer advocacy in LMCs.
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From page 274... ...
Other goals in tobacco control include increasing the information base and identifying research needs; establishing standards for best practices in tobacco control; encouraging and facilitating collaboration among UICC members; developing consensus positions on key issues; and representing cancer organizations in interactions with international governmental bodies. The goal of "Knowledge Transfer" is to narrow the gap between what is known and what is applied in cancer control.
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From page 275... ...
. THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ACS has taken a leading role in global cancer advocacy by promoting cancer advocacy in countries with emerging cancer societies.
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From page 276... ...
In the Philippines, the focus has been promoting universal immunization against the hepatitis B virus to prevent liver cancer. International Grant Programs ACS offers grants in tobacco control in LMCs, for which ACS acts on its own and collaborates with the UICC, Cancer Research UK, The Canadian Tobacco Control Research Initiative, and others.
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From page 277... ...
In addition to these specific partnerships and programs, ACS is active around the world in tobacco control in many other ways. CURRENT STATUS OF CANCER ADVOCACY IN LMCS No worldwide inventory of cancer advocacy groups exists outside of the UICC members.
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From page 278... ...
The 10 goals (Box 9-2) involve influencing women, health care professionals, health care systems, and government (European Breast Cancer Coalition, 2006)
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From page 279... ...
, a UICC program, is a network of voluntary breast cancer support groups around the world. The underlying premise is "that of one woman who has lived through breast cancer giving of her time and experience to help another woman confronting the same challenge." The original, and still main, purpose of RRI is psychosocial support for women with breast cancer, but the group is also involved in broader advocacy.
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From page 280... ...
MBCC was formed to: · Influence policies regarding breast cancer · Create a sociocultural change in attitude toward breast cancer · Facilitate communication and break down barriers on breast cancer issues · Prevent duplication of services and activities · Maximize resources to help enable effective support services Breast cancer survivors and health care professionals work in partnership in this advocacy endeavor. The advantages of this partnership are: · Improved doctorpatient communication and relationships, including the beginnings of shared decision making · Advocates who have had breast cancer and are supporting the rights of cancer patients not only in providing information to the public, but also in encouraging health care professionals to make the treatment environment more patient friendly · With increased mutual respect, increased referrals by health care providers of patients to Reach to Recovery groups for psychosocial support · Giving Reach to Recovery groups, cancer societies, and societies of health care professionals in cancer care the common ground to resolve differences and work together toward common goals for women with breast cancer and cancer in general Issues raised with Malaysian government officials and the public relate to: · Availability of sources to provide information on access to cancer care and treatment · The importance of seeking evidence-based screening, diagnostic services, and treatment
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From page 281... ...
Just as governments and professionals in LMCs can make much greater progress in developing cancer programs with technical assistance and resources from high-income countries, so can the fledgling advocacy movement benefit from the inputs of the international advocacy community. The first target has to be a core of people in individual countries who understand that cancer is a growing problem for them, and second, that things they do can elevate the status of cancer control through advocacy efforts.
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From page 282... ...
· What are the available resources? International advocacy groups can play a number of roles: · To advise on the practicalities of cancer control choices, and to provide training workshops on relevant topics in the host country.
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From page 283... ...
Trained, internationally oriented advocates exist in significant numbers, but funding and a formal global program are missing. Is tobacco control advocacy different from lobbying for other cancer control causes?
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From page 284... ...
The global advocacy community has a role to play in assisting those in LMCs with information and strategies, while respecting the local political and social structures. As is the case with other aspects of cancer control, much of this work must take place person to person and country by country.
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